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Topic: Shuttle Tile identification (Read 77484 times)

As has already been noted by northanger, 195xxx tiles are located on the upper wing areas. The general location diagram has been posted in other threads on this forum, but since it is not in this one I have posted it again in for easy reference. Link to original file is www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/pdf/tile_placement_chart.pdf.

I have not been able to find tile 195002-356 itself, but have found a couple of near misses on a fragment of an Atlantis tile map from a STS-132 DAT TPS (Damage Assessment Team, Thermal Protection System) presentation available on L2. Tiles 195002-350 and 195002-351 are located on the upper side of the port (left-hand) chine area - this is the part of the wing/fuselage structure that is forward of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) leading edges.

I've attached a copy of the relevant slide from the presentation with tiles 350 & 351 circled in yellow, and a close-up view of the map's 195002-xxx block (41 tiles). The main tile map shows the view when looking at the orbiter from the left-hand side, with the crew access hatch to the left and the beginning of the wing leading edge at the lower-right. (This slide is showing tiles that were missed during flight-day 2 TPS inspection using the orbiter boom.)

It's possible that the tile we're trying to locate is on the other side of the orbiter in a similar position. There are minor differences in tile IDs between orbiters, so another possibility is that it may belong to one of the other orbiters on the same side (I could only find a map for Atlantis). Either way, I think there's a good chance it is from that general area, left- or right-side upper chine.

Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school. I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it. If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it! The number on the tile is V070-195002-356-009264

Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school. I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it. If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it! The number on the tile is V070-195002-356-009264

Thank you for your time!@spacespartan

Hey, you're the lady we're helping above! Read the posts above this one, they've been searching the location for you!

Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school. I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it. If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it! The number on the tile is V070-195002-356-009264

Thank you for your time!@spacespartan

Hey, you're the lady we're helping above! Read the posts above this one, they've been searching the location for you!

Ahhh thank you! A gentleman on twitter said he was going to ask, but I didn't have enough time at school to look through all of these. Thanks so very very much!!

Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school. I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it. If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it! The number on the tile is V070-195002-356-009264

Thank you for your time!@spacespartan

Hey, you're the lady we're helping above! Read the posts above this one, they've been searching the location for you!

Ahhh thank you! A gentleman on twitter said he was going to ask, but I didn't have enough time at school to look through all of these. Thanks so very very much!!

I just received my Tile and it was bit damaged on the sides and bottom.

I'm trying to locate VT70-191037-027, I see that it is on the wing but I would like to see if I can get a picture of exactly where. In the general location anyway.The picture uploaded in the earlier message is close to it but doesn't include the tile.

I'm trying to locate VT70-191037-027, I see that it is on the wing but I would like to see if I can get a picture of exactly where. In the general location anyway.

Tile 191037-027

This is an more interesting tile than average. Its located on the door that normally covers the orbiter's left-hand main landing gear - specifically towards the front of the door and towards its outer edge where the door hinge is located. The tile is of a type know as LI-900 which covers the bulk of the underside of the orbiters, and is a High-temperature Reusable Surface Insulation (HRSI) black tile.

I've attached a couple of tile maps showing the location this tile, and also a photograph taken by astronauts on the ISS of STS-132 (Atlantis) as she approached the space station carrying out the R-bar Pitch Maneuver (RPM) or 'back-flip' to photographically document any possible damage to the tiles. Unfortunately I could not find a photograph from any of the orbiters which had a visible ID legend remaining.

Your tile is indicated by green highlighting - click on the images to enlarge to full size.

Thank you so much this is awesome! I am going to print out the information you gave to me and use it as a lesson in class. Also I might be presenting to elementary and middle school students, this information will be helpful.

Recently I owned a small piece of AFRSI blanket taken from OV-099, removed after flight 41-G. The rockwell ID is

VO70-396-373-025

The number has been taken from the KSC problem report related to the item.

It has been taken from one OMU at the suttles aft. I know that some do have acces to identify the area the item was placed. Can anyone provide a tile map chart to see where the item originally has been?

I am new to this forum. I stumbled across it last night with my two boys as yesterday my dad presented me with what appears to be an authentic heat tile from one of the orbiters. We wanted to see if we could figure out what orbiter and possibly what missions this tile may have flown. Through your forum, I have only been able to figure out that this is a tile from one of the wings. The numbers on the tile are difficult to read...rubbed off quite a bit, but I can see that it is

VO70 191025273-008227It has another set of letters and numbers below the above numbers, with what looks like a 2 and ends in 000MUnderneath that is the word Instrumentation.

So we'd love to know what orbiter this tile is from, where on the orbiter it's location was, and what missions it flew.

My dad was in the Air Force for 27 years and his last assignment was at Cape Canaveral Air Station...he was involved with the shuttle program through 1985 when he retired.

He says the gray corner is a "repair" that was made to the tile...and the white chips and dings are actual damage to the tile. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember how it ended up in office at the Cape so long ago...he's got lots of samples of the soft fabrics that are on the undersides of the tiles as well.

I love everything space, especially the shuttle program. I saw every launch up close and personal from Columbia's maiden voyage from the Cape to the Challenger disaster from right outside the walls of my highschool. I even got to see a night launch from the Titan building...that was really cool.

Hey, I guess I was too early being one of the first to post a request for a tile ID, back in reply #4 to this thread - but I never received an answer!

The tile our school received in 2010/11 had number VO70-394026 (black and white, picture shown in reply #4).

In this second round of NASA giveaways, this time including some food packs, we also received a new white tile # VO70-391010 which has two ~ 2cm diameter holes neatly drilled through it and is an "interesting" shape. I can post a picture if desired.

A few of you on this thread have been extremely helpful to the posters who came after me - could I prevail on your expertise one more time to show me where these (now) two tiles are located. Like other teachers on this thread, I am planning a display for our school. Thank you!

P.S. This time around, we were compelled to certify that the tile would NEVER be removed from its shrink wrap! (Not so for the first one we received).

Hey, I guess I was too early being one of the first to post a request for a tile ID, back in reply #4 to this thread - but I never received an answer!

The tile our school received in 2010/11 had number VO70-394026 (black and white, picture shown in reply #4).

In this second round of NASA giveaways, this time including some food packs, we also received a new white tile # VO70-391010 which has two ~ 2cm diameter holes neatly drilled through it and is an "interesting" shape. I can post a picture if desired.

A few of you on this thread have been extremely helpful to the posters who came after me - could I prevail on your expertise one more time to show me where these (now) two tiles are located. Like other teachers on this thread, I am planning a display for our school. Thank you!

P.S. This time around, we were compelled to certify that the tile would NEVER be removed from its shrink wrap! (Not so for the first one we received).

Good news, I think I found your first tile (V070-394026-129).

Your second tile might be more interesting, but I need the three digits that follow the main number to find an actual location (should be VO70-391010-xxx). A photo would also be helpful to identify.

Don't have time to organise any graphics at the minute, but will try and post soon.

Thank you AnalogMan, I appreciate your quick reply to this older thread. I should have checked back more often since my earlier post.

A cellphone pic of our second, newly arrived tile is attached - I snapped it as I left my school since I thought it might be handy to have all the numbers. I can take a better picture, with a ruler for dimensions, early next week.

The tile with the holes has full number VO70-391010 -045-008023. I did read that the holes were for access to fasteners and would be plugged as part of launch preparation activities.

Yes, any graphics showing the tile locations would be great for our display, thanks again.

Hey, I guess I was too early being one of the first to post a request for a tile ID, back in reply #4 to this thread - but I never received an answer!

The tile our school received in 2010/11 had number VO70-394026 (black and white, picture shown in reply #4).[...]

Good news, I think I found your first tile (V070-394026-129).[...]Don't have time to organise any graphics at the minute, but will try and post soon.

Sorry for the long delay in getting back to this.

Tile 394026-129

I've attached two images showing the location of this tile. Its on the underside of the orbiter just off the centerline and forward of the right main landing gear door. First is to give the general location - its a composite image with the forward part having tile ID numbers which are close to being readable if you squint at the right magnification! (note these ID numbers are of the form 394026-129001). The second is very readable.

(click on graphics to enlarge)

Most modern printers will allow images to be printed as posters (image is divided up and printed on several separate sheets, then stick together by hand). I've attached a pdf version of the full orbiter map since Adobe Reader also provides a poster printing function in case your printer doesn't.

Thank you AnalogMan, I appreciate your quick reply to this older thread. I should have checked back more often since my earlier post.

A cellphone pic of our second, newly arrived tile is attached - I snapped it as I left my school since I thought it might be handy to have all the numbers. I can take a better picture, with a ruler for dimensions, early next week.

The tile with the holes has full number VO70-391010 -045-008023. I did read that the holes were for access to fasteners and would be plugged as part of launch preparation activities.

Yes, any graphics showing the tile locations would be great for our display, thanks again.

Tile 391010-045

Could not find your exact tile. I was only able to find one block of 391010 tiles - these sixteen were on the crew access hatch door. There are slight differences between the three surviving orbiters:

My collection of tile maps is not comprehensive, so possibilities are:

• the tile is elsewhere on the orbiter;• its on the hatch of an orbiter that I don't have a map for (Challenger or Columbia);• its on the hatch but part of an earlier tile allocation/design that was modified or never used.

Four of the tiles are mounted on two removeable carrier panels (two tiles each) and have holes in them for access to the fastening bolts. On Discovery three of these tiles are black (High-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation, HRSI), but on Atlantis are white (Low-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation, LRSI). The remainder of the 391010 tiles in this block are all white.

Looking at your tile it does appear very similar in shape to 391010-96/391010-123 and this tile does have two holes in the same place. Also, from your photograph it looks as though the shortest side has the concave arc needed to match the inner ring of tiles that it butts up against.

On this basis I would say that there is a good chance that this is the location of your tile, and for some reason these tile IDs were modified during the lifetime of the orbiters.

I've marked this location in yellow on the maps. Photos of Endeavour and Atlantis' crew hatch show the two carrier panels removed and in place (tile holes plugged with insulator) respectively.